


All Is Vanity

by hlravensnest_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-12-31
Updated: 2000-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-16 21:58:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11837847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlravensnest_archivist/pseuds/hlravensnest_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atHL Raven's Nest. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onHL Raven's Nest's collection profile.





	All Is Vanity

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HL Raven's Nest](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HL_Raven%27s_Nest). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HL Raven's Nest's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hlravensnest/profile).

All Is Vanity by RSS

_All Is Vanity_

By RSS 

Special thanks to Maril Swan who beta read this Story. 

Also many thanks to the Nest Mistress who, besides posting this and 11 other of my stories this year, has also proofread these stories. She has a knack for enhancing sentences and so the final product. 

* * *

_EPILOGUE_

Joe Dawson has a solemn look on his face as he thumbs through a book. Amanda watches as Joe forms his thoughts. 

"He had a reputation for getting very close. He was a good Watcher, one of the best." 

"He was a friend of yours?" 

"No, he came in a couple of weeks ago. He was all business, a true professional. I guess that's what bothers me. A life is ended and I don't know anything about him. I'm glad you got that bastard." 

"Me too." 

"Anything about the fight for posterity?" 

"No, once we faced each other there wasn't much of a fight at all." 

Joe nods his head. Amanda's response doesn't seem to surprise him. Amanda gives a slight smile. 

"I'd better be going now." 

"Yeah, see ya around. Take care of yourself." 

"Bye." 

Amanda puts on a pair of dark sunglasses as she steps out into the mid-day sun. She slowly walks away from Joe's bar. So ends another chapter of the Amanda Chronicles. Amanda makes a broad smile, quickens her pace and lengthens her stride. She has shopping to do! 

* * *

_THE BEGINNING_

Amanda walks briskly down the street. She has so much shopping to do and so little time. Sensing another Immortal, she slows her pace a bit. Then she takes a casual glance behind her, seeing a figure duck behind a corner. "Not this time," she says to herself. Sense and scoot, this is the third time this week this has happened. Amanda decides the cat and mouse game ends now. She swings around and runs in the direction of her stalker. Chasing after a potential foe goes against her tried and true tactic. Usually Amanda leads a potential adversary to ground of her choosing. Unfortunately the "choose your ground" method won't work in this case. This opponent was obviously playing a war of nerves. 

Amanda rounds a corner and sees a male figure dash around another corner. He is a fast runner, but does he have the endurance? It occurs to Amanda that perhaps his tactic has succeeded. Did he unnerve her into making a reckless move? Amanda rounds another corner. This is a secluded area, a good place for a duel. The man has a choice to make. At the end of the street he will have to turn left or right. If he turns left he will have enough running room to get away. If he turns right he will run into a closed alley. 

He turns right. Was it by mistake or by design? Amanda runs to the corner then stops to raise her sword so it protects her head. He might try to take her head as she rounds the corner. Amanda has done this to a number of her opponents. 

When she turns the corner she sees the man running from one wall to another. He is like a rat in a cage. The man draws his sword. He seems tentative, almost clumsy. It is a Chinese style sword, called a Darn Dao. The blade is blackened, making the sword look as tacky as his clothes. The man cries out, "Is this absolutely necessary?" This surprises Amanda. He looks like a scared puppy. He is about her height, with a medium build, and a young face, early twenties. Amanda smiles. 

"No." 

"Uh, I don't suppose you would go for ladies first?" 

"Why not?" 

Amanda smiles as she sheathes her sword. 

"You were obviously born before women got the vote." 

"Long before. And you?" 

The man nods his head and sheathes his sword. "I had some mixed luck in 1965." 

This surprises Amanda. He has been an Immortal long enough not to run like a scared rabbit. The man walks towards Amanda. 

"How long before?" 

"First death 850." 

"Wow! And I thought my wife was something, she was 600." 

"What happened to her?" 

His face turns sad. "The same thing that will happen to all of us eventually." 

"All but one." 

"Wow! You're that good? I'll bet you can teach me a few things?" 

Amanda thinks, _This guy moves fast. I'll go for the bait before I put him down._ "About what?" 

"Sword fighting of course." 

Amanda finds his matter of fact tone disappointing. 

"By the way, I am Chuck Driscoll." 

"I am Amanda." 

Amanda leads Chuck into "The Sanctuary", her home and place of business. She mentions to him that it is holy ground as she leads him upstairs past Pascal. Pascal tries to hide a smile. _Pascal must think I'm robbing the cradle. If he only knew the half of it._

Amanda leads Chuck into a gym, deciding enough time has passed. She tries to satisfy her curiosity. "Did you get the guy who did it?" 

"You mean the one who killed my wife?" 

"Yes." 

"No, I don't know who did it. Since I was her husband, that automatically made me the prime suspect. That sword arsenal in the house didn't help my case any. So I jumped bail." 

"When did this happen?" 

"Six years ago. I thought everything was cool. That is until I saw my face on a cop show. I figured I had better leave the country. Since I speak French this seemed like a good choice. I flew in two weeks ago. That is why I'm unfamiliar with the area." 

"I'll have to show you around." 

"I'd appreciate that." 

"Enough talk." 

Amanda draws her sword and Chuck draws his. There wasn't anything unsure about his movement or his stance. He smiles and says, "Lady's choice." 

Amanda smiles and goes on the attack. Chuck handles himself well. Amanda figures it is time to take him to the next level. She trips him and Chuck falls and does a backwards roll, keeping hold of his sword. He takes a quick swing with his sword to keep Amanda back then jumps to his feet and goes into a defensive stance. His speed and agility impress Amanda. 

"Good recovery." 

"Thank you." 

They continue to parry. Chuck is as good as anyone who has been at it for less than a century. Amanda wonders if he is one of those people who can fight well enough in practice but falls apart when it's the real thing. This is troublesome. Amanda can teach someone to fence; nerve has to come from within. 

They lock swords. A door bursts open. There is Nick Wolfe with his gun pointed at Chuck. This infuriates Amanda. She has told Nick the rules enough times. Amanda knows she has to talk fast. Chuck can mistake this for a trap. 

"Nick, put that damn thing away! This is Nick Wolfe, he is new at this." 

Chuck backs away from Amanda. Nick holsters his gun. 

"Welcome to the club, Nick. I'm Chuck Driscoll." Nick just nods. Chuck continues. "I guess I had better get going." 

Amanda smiles. 

"I'll show you out." 

On the way down the stairs Chuck asks, "Can we do this again tomorrow?" 

"Same time." 

"Let's make it four-ish." 

"Okay, 4 o'clock! Bye!" 

"Good-bye." 

Amanda finds Chuck's enthusiasm refreshing. Nick avoids sword fighting lessons. He still hasn't accepted what he is. Amanda also enjoys Chuck's respect for her. Nick, and most other men she has known, talks down to her. She is over 1,000 years older than Nick and he often talks to her as if she were a child. Chuck defers to her age. Amanda thinks if she were a normal woman who led a normal life she would have a son about as old as Chuck looks. 

Amanda enters the gym. Nick is giving the sandbag a couple of punches. He gives Amanda a blank look. "How long have you known that guy?" 

"We just met this morning." 

"And you're giving him sword lessons?" 

"He asked. I guess I just can't refuse someone with puppy dog eyes." 

"There's something about that guy that tells me not to trust him." 

"It's called the 'Green Eyed Monster.'" 

"Don't flatter yourself. Most of the Immortals I've seen are only interested in what you have above the neck." 

Amanda thinks perhaps she can teach Nick to respect his elders. 

"Since we're here why don't I give you a lesson?" 

"Na, I've got a ton of paperwork to do. See ya later." 

Nick quickly walks out of the gym. Now Amanda knows how to get him to leave in a hurry. Amanda becomes annoyed as she thinks about what Nick said. She has had more men who wanted to be her lover than Nick could ever imagine. Then Amanda thinks about what has happened since she met Nick. 

She is going through a dry spell. Nick has seen more than his share of bad Immortals. Amanda supposes a bit of paranoia is good for an Immortal. 

  
The next day Chuck shows up at 3:45. Amanda gives him the promised sword lesson. After the lesson Chuck seems a bit uneasy. 

"Amanda I don't suppose you could give me a little tour of the area?" 

"What kind of tour? The tourist spots? The best places to eat? I'm famished." 

"No I mean -- Well you trapped me yesterday. If you were someone else I would have been in serious trouble. You know that Chinese proverb, 'A sly rabbit will have three openings to its den'." 

"Okay, but first there's this quaint little restaurant you will have to take me to." 

"It's the least I could do." 

As they walk outside Amanda decides it is as good a time as any to broach the subject. 

"You know you can't keep running for the rest of your life." 

"I can run until I die." 

"My teacher told me choose your ground, and your weapons, then take what comes." 

"Sounds like my wife. She was so confident. It was frustrating. I would wake up in the middle of the night and she'd be gone. When she came back I would yell. She never seemed to understand I was worried she wouldn't come back. Ironically, she bought it at home. I came home from work one day and found her dead. My next door neighbor told the police about my late night rants. That didn't help my case any." 

Amanda could tell Chuck felt uneasy talking about it. She decided to start explaining the ins and outs of the local area. 

After the tour and the meal Chuck drives away in his car, a used compact. Amanda walks back to The Sanctuary. Nick is waiting for her. He looks agitated. 

"What happened?" 

"That's none of your business." 

"Is he still alive?" 

"Yes." 

"Joe Dawson dropped by. Your new boyfriend has a trail of heads." 

"So do I, what's your point? And he's not my boyfriend." 

Amanda isn't ready to admit what she knows deep down. "Trail of heads" is Joe's phrase. He uses the phrase to describe an Immortal who indiscriminately kills other Immortals. Nick becomes angry at Amanda's apparent denial. Nick picks up a piece of paper and shows it to Amanda. 

"Look! These are the people he's killed. For the past six years he's killed every Immortal he has come across. He started with his own wife." 

Amanda looks at the list, recognizing some of the names. The list includes some friends and some enemies. A couple of these people were good fighters. 

"No, no, something is wrong. I know a couple of these people. Chuck is good, but he's not that good." 

"He killed his wife while she was sleeping. I did some checking. Her body was found in bed. It hadn't been moved." 

"He said he found her that way!" 

"An Immortal comes into another Immortal's house without waking her?" 

"Maybe she didn't realize it wasn't him." 

"Maybe it was him. You're grasping at straws." 

"It just doesn't make sense." 

"Let me tell you something else about Chuck. He first got killed in Vietnam. He was a Green Beret. What do you thing they teach those guys? To stand in front of you, kiss a sword and say _en garde_?" 

"I just can't deal with you when you get this way." Amanda quickly walks up the stairs, pretending not to hear Nick's shouts. 

"Your pride is clouding your judgment!" 

Amanda walks into her suite and closes the door behind her. She takes a few seconds to collect her thoughts. Some of the best people she has known have killed by accident. She came close to killing a couple of people over nothing. Is it possible he has flashbacks from Vietnam? How could Chuck kill Immortals who are better than him? Could Chuck be holding back? Could he be pretending to be less skilled than he his? Amanda decides she will put him to the test tomorrow. 

* * *

The next day Amanda takes Chuck to an abandoned rail yard. Amanda tells Chuck she can teach him better in a real world venue. When the lesson starts, Amanda goes after Chuck as if it's for real. Amanda's aggressive behavior catches Chuck off balance, but he quickly recovers. He fights better than he did before but no better than Amanda expected. He is fighting on the defensive. It's a reasonable strategy – hold out until your opponent makes a mistake. Amanda traps Chuck's sword then she spins in the opposite direction. Chuck steps back. Amanda's sword whooshes past where Chuck's neck was. Chuck moves to envelop Amanda's sword. Amanda steps back. Chuck takes three quick steps back and throws his sword on the ground. He yells, "Lesson over!" and puts his hands up. 

His voice was different. It wasn't the voice of a frightened student. It was a commanding voice. Amanda knows that tone well. It's the tone of someone saying, "Amanda you have done something irresponsible." She didn't pull her swing. She didn't warn Chuck to duck. She could have taken his head. Amanda quivers. 

"I'm sorry." 

"That's all right. It happens." 

His conciliatory voice doesn't hide a simple fact. In Chuck's eyes Amanda is no longer the wise maternal Immortal. No matter how long she knows Chuck he will never think of her the same way again. Amanda has a knack for making people mistrust her. This time it wasn't her fault. She made the mistake of listening to Nick. 

Amanda walks quickly into The Sanctuary. Nick looks at her but Amanda looks past him. 

"What happened?" 

"I'm not talking to you." 

Nick follows her. 

"Amanda what happened?" 

"I almost killed Chuck! One of the worst things an Immortal can do is to kill someone they are trying to teach! And it's all because I listened to you!" 

"Why don't you just tell me what happened?" 

"I decided to see if Chuck was a better fighter than I thought. So I went after him as if it was for real. I took a swing right at his neck. If he hesitated for a second I would have taken his head!" 

"So he is a better fighter than you thought?" 

"No, he didn't have any surprises." 

"I talked to him today. He's smooth. I think he plays people like violins." 

"What convinced you of that?" 

"I warned him if he did anything to you I would come after him. He didn't even break stride. He told me you didn't need my help." 

"You testosterone laden moron. Do you have any idea how many Immortals would have taken that as a challenge? You're in the game now. If another Immortal challenges you, I can't interfere." 

"I can take care of myself." 

"Many people have told me that. Most of them are dead." 

"That's what happens when you bring a knife to a gunfight." 

"Draw your gun. Come one!" 

Nick reaches for his gun. By the time he has it out of his holster Amanda has her sword at Nick's throat. 

"Remember this the next time you think a gun can solve all your problems." 

  
It has been a couple of hours when the phone rings. 

"Hello?" 

"Amanda, this is Chuck. I should take this time to thank you for all you taught me." 

It's hard to hear him over the sound of construction work. 

"It was nothing. Are you going somewhere?" 

"All good things must come to an end. Nick is here. He's all tied up at the moment. It's been over a month since my last Quickening." 

Amanda's blood runs cold. "If you kill him --" 

"I'll wait an hour. If you win, you both keep your heads. If you lose .... well. Don't be late. We are at the abandoned warehouse on the corner of Saint Roch and Saint Honore." 

Amanda takes a few deep breaths. Once again someone has taken her in. She hates it when Nick is right. 

  
Amanda arrives at the warehouse. She is clad in black leather with a long black overcoat. Across the street there is a building under construction. Lights surround that building frame. Amanda draws her sword and enters the warehouse. The light from the other building gives the inside of the warehouse some dim light and shadows. 

Amanda hears running footsteps then a figure. Then the footsteps stop. It's Chuck. Amanda charges after him. They parry. Amanda sees the advantage of Chuck's blackened blade. It blends in with the background. Amanda takes a couple of steps backwards. Chuck turns and runs. Amanda sees Chuck reach into his pocket. She hears a number of small metal objects hit the floor. She doesn't want to lose sight of Chuck. Her experience would do her no good if Chuck takes her head from the shadows. 

Amanda slips twice on the metallic objects. Chuck tries to open a door. It's locked. Chuck runs to a nearby ladder. Amanda has closed most of the gap. Amanda jumps on the ladder as Chuck reaches the top. Chuck kicks down the ladder. Amanda jumps off the ladder and it falls with a resounding crash. Amanda notices a pipe that leads up to the mezzanine. She scampers up the pipe. 

As she steps on the mezzanine she sees once again a locked door frustrates Chuck's escape attempt. Chuck only has two options. She plans to jump on top of him if he jumps down from the mezzanine. His only other option is to stand and fight. Chuck shouts, "Remember, when cornered even the hare will attack." 

"Then bite me!" 

Chuck starts to charge, but stops short. Amanda holds for a second, then attacks. Amanda figures Chuck plans to wait until she makes a mistake. They parry a bit. They lock swords and turn around. Then Chuck steps on Amanda's foot and pushes her. Amanda stumbles to her seat. 

Amanda sticks out her sword. If he tried to finish her she would have had him. Instead he used the time to turn and run. Amanda hears two clicks of an empty gun. Looking down, she sees Nick. Amanda has mixed feelings. She is happy Nick is now free, but is frustrated with his interference. He is pretty good about freeing himself for an amateur. If Chuck saw Nick that would explain why Chuck backed off and eluded Amanda's blade. Amanda yells, "Nick, you can't interfere!" 

Amanda chases after Chuck at the opposite end of a corridor. He can't get through the door. Running away from the door, he deliberately tips over a metal locker and wedges it between the two walls, creating a good defensive position. Amanda hears footsteps behind her. Then she hears Chuck's voice from the shadows. 

"Mortals, guns, two against one, why don't we take this to holy ground? You've broken every other rule." 

Nick says, "We've been set up!" 

Amanda retorts in a sarcastic tone, "Tell me something I don't know." 

She hears Chuck echo her words. Then Nick continues, "Don't do anything! Just listen!" Nick turns on a tape recorder. 

_"I've set the stage. Timing is everything. Charlie should get by Nick with no problem. No one else knows Nick is an Immortal. Another feather in my cap. Amanda should be close enough to see the Quickening when I decap Nick. To even the odds, I blocked some of the doors. I'm convinced Charlie could easily run away from Amanda otherwise. I will decap Amanda either way. If she wins, I'll pretend Charlie is still alive. That way I don't have to worry about getting another loser like good-bye Charlie. I'll be the greatest Immortal fighter of them all."_

Amanda absorbs what she has just heard. She looks at Nick and he confirms what she suspects. 

"I accidentally killed Chuck's Watcher. I found this on him." Nick raises his voice. "Watchers are mortals who watch Immortals. They're not supposed to interfere. Immortals aren't the only ones who break rules." 

After a few seconds Amanda decides to reassure Chuck. "You can come out. I'm not going to kill you." 

"I must insist age before beauty." 

"I preferred ladies first." 

Amanda sheathes her sword. Chuck pulls over the locker and walks over to Amanda and Nick. Then Chuck slowly sheathes his sword. 

"We'd better find out more about this guy," Amanda suggests. "I have a Watcher friend, one of the good guys --" 

"I'd rather we find out as much as we can about this guy before we get anyone else involved." 

"Good idea. Where's the body?" 

Nick motioned to them. "Follow me. Chuck, you broke my neck why didn't you whack off my head?" 

"I don't take heads." Chuck pauses for a few seconds before continuing. "When I was in Nam our patrol ran into another patrol. I was quick. I emptied my magazine before anybody got off a shot. It turned out the patrol was one of ours. There was one dead, the other patrol's leader. It was a beautiful Vietnamese woman. Those things happened all the time. That's what I kept telling myself, but it didn't do any good. A couple of months later my platoon got totaled. When I came back to life that woman, my future wife, was standing over me. I got immortality and forgiveness all in one day. It seemed that's what it's all about. Even if I live to be your age Amanda, I could never be that lucky again. So I don't want to risk another mistake. Oh Nick, I took your bullets out of both your magazines. They're scattered all over the ground floor." 

Amanda got the Watcher's name and address from his wallet, then the trio went to his apartment. The Watcher had two sets of records. One set was the "official" Watcher records; the other set recounted what really happened. Amanda found his diary, documenting the Watcher's progress from an enthusiastic student to a psychotic serial killer. 

He was disappointed when he learned he was assigned to an Immortal nicknamed "Good-bye Charlie". Chuck got that name because he always left the area when he sensed another Immortal. By contrast, Chuck's wife was the heroic type. She wanted to know all about the Immortals who were in her neck of the woods. She would challenge any Immortal she felt deserved the death penalty. This set up a personality conflict between her Watcher and Chuck's Watcher. Her Watcher would constantly brag to Chuck's Watcher. 

Then one night Chuck's Watcher decided to kill Chuck's wife. He did it after Chuck left for work. That started a long string of killings that he "credited" to Chuck. After Amanda reads the diary she gives it to Chuck. What he read horrifies him. Amanda feels glad she could set the record straight; he might find some consolation in that. She looks outside the apartment and sees it's dawn. The question is whether they should tell Joe before or after they get some rest. 

"Look, it's been a long night. Let's get some rest. We can get together at The Sanctuary, say four-ish, and we can go to Joe Dawson, he's the Watcher I told you about. With this we can get your Chronicles straightened out." 

"You're going to tell a member of a secret society that Nick killed one of their own?" 

"Joe understands sometimes Watchers go renegade." 

"So the next Watcher that goes renegade might decide to settle the score against Nick? Are you going to tell him what Nick is while you're at it?" 

Amanda realizes Chuck has a point. It's a big question. Which facts should they tell Joe? Which facts should they twist a bit? Chuck continues. 

"Do you really like the idea of someone following you around?" 

"Not really, but they are a necessary evil. Someday there won't be any of us left. There should be a record of who we were and what we did." 

Chuck gives Amanda a grin. It is the type of grin one gives children who betray their innocence of the real world. 

"Amanda, after we're gone there will be no way for anyone to prove we ever were. No one of significance will take their precious Chronicles seriously. Our top priority should be to delay as long as possible the day we are no longer around. The only important thing to tell this Joe Dawson is what is in our best interests." 

"So what do you think we should tell him?" 

"You kill me and blame it on the dead guy." 

It took a moment for Chuck's words to sink in. Then Amanda realizes the genius. If Amanda tells Joe Chuck killed the Watcher and then she killed him that will kill two birds with one stone. The Watchers will lose site of Chuck. He won't have to worry about renegades. The Watchers still won't know about Nick, who wouldn't have to worry about some Watcher seeking vengeance. Amanda smiles and looks at an invisible Joe Dawson. She uses an animated voice and gestures. 

"It was a long tough fight. He almost had me --" 

"That's no good. Tell him it was short and easy. But if the subject ever comes up again add to it. Make it longer each time you have to retell it." 

"That way he'll assume I am exaggerating and will lose interest." 

"Yes, this way you can't get tripped up with the details. He will assume you told the whole truth the first time. Retellings would be shameless self-promotion." 

Amanda looks over at Nick, who has been unusually quiet. Amanda assumes he is dealing with the fact he tried to kill an innocent person, shot at a shadow. It was only by sheer luck that he killed someone who deserved to die. Chuck breaks the silence. 

"I'd better get going. I have a plane to catch. I'll drop you a line when I get to wherever it is I am going. That way if you need to be killed or something, you can let me know." 

After Chuck leaves Amanda tries to jolly Nick out of his somber mood. 

"What's the matter, you worried about his crack about killing me?" 

"No I'm worried about the 'or something'." 

Nick's smile betrays he isn't concerned about either. Amanda hopes it means he knows he can't depend on his gun to solve all his problems. 

_THE END_

* * *

© 2000   
Please send comments to the author! 

* * *


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